Combined cover and follower for barrels, kegs, and the like.



No. 886,040. PATENTED APR. 28, 1908.

T. 'ML'DANSBY. COMBINED COVER AND FOLLOWER FOR BARRELS, KBGS, AND THE LIKE.-

APPLICATION FILED P123 15, 1907.

' ATTORNEYS M n1: NORRIS mzrzns ca, WAsHmanm, o c.

UNTTLED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS MERRIWEATHER DANSBY, OF FINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS.

COMBINED COVER AND FOLLOWER FOR BARRELS, KEGS, AND THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs MERRI- WEATHER DANSBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pine Bluff, in the county of Jefferson and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Combined Cover and Follower for Barrels, Kegs, and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined cover and follower for barrels, kegs and similar containing vessels and has for its object to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of this character which serves the dual function of a cover for the barrel and also as a weight or follower for holding the contents of the barrel submerged in brine or other preserving liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a follower having a pivoted section or closure so that access may be obtained to the sauer-kraut, pickles, corn-beef or other contents of the barrel without the necessity of removing the follower from said barrel.

A further object is to provide the follower with a strip of fabric or similar yieldable material adapted to engage the interior walls of the containing vessel and thus prevent the entrance of insects, dust and other foreign matter between the cover and the adjacent walls of the barrel and at the same time permit the follower to be adjusted vertically of the barrel without undue friction between said follower and barrel.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being unerstood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction D may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined cover and follower constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the same in position in a barrel. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the combined cover and follower detached. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The improved device is principally de- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. February 15, 1907.

Patented April 28, 1908.

Serial No. 357,582.

signed for use in connection with barrels, kegs and similar containing vessels and by way of illustration is shown in connection with a barrel of the ordinary construction in which 5 designates the staves and 6 the open end of the barrel.

The device consists of a circular body portion 7 formed of wood or similar material and having its peripheral edge reinforced and strengthened by the provision of a metal ring 8.

The body portion 7 is formed with a cenorally disposed opening 9 having its walls inclined or beveled at 10 for engagement with the correspondingly beveled edge of a movable section or closure 11. The closure 11 is hinged at 12 to the body portion 7 so that by moving the closure to open position access may be readily obtained to the sauerkraut or other contents of the barrel without the necessity of removing the follower from said barrel. The body portion 7 is further hoop or ring 13, said ring being weighted so as to cause the follower to press against the contents of the barrel and thus submerge the same in the brine or other preserving liquid.

Secured to the bottom of the body portion 7 is a strip of fabric or other yieldable material 14 which projects laterally beyond the ring 8 and serves to prevent the entrance of insects, dirt and other foreign matter between the edge of the follower and the adjacent walls of the barrel. The inner edge of the fabric 14 preferably extends within the closure receiving opening 9- so as to form a yieldable packing or seat 15 for the closure 1 1, the latter being preferably provided with a finger piece or knob 16 by means of which said closure may be conveniently moved to open or closed position. It will thus be seen that the fabric 14 by engagement with the interior walls of the barrel forms an effective closure between the follower and'barrel and at the same time permits free vertical move- I rating.

In operation the follower is introduced through the open end of the barrel and placed in position on the pickles, sauer-kraut or other contents thereof. When it is desired to remove a portion of the contents of the barrel the cover 11 is swung upwardly to open position and the sauer-kraut removed through the opening 9, as will be readily understood. As the sauer-kraut is removed from time to time the weight of the rings 8 and 13 will press the body portion or follower in contact with the sauer-kraut while at the same time the peripheral edge of the fabric 14 will expand and engage the adjacent walls of the barrel so as to form an effective closure for the barrel regardless of the amount or quantity of sauer-kraut within the same.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided an extremely simple, inexpensive and efficient device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1, A device of the class described includinga substantially circular body portion having an opening formed therein and provided. with a weighted reinforcing band secured to the peripheral edge of the body portion and disposed flush with the upper and lower surfaces thereof, a strip of flexible material secured to the lower surface of the body portion and having its inner edge pro- 7 jecting within the opening and its outer edge extended beyond the reinforcing band to produce a yieldable circumferential flange, a closure pivotally mounted on the body portion and adapted to normally close the opening therein, and a flat weighted annulus rigidly secured to the upper surface of the body portion between the opening and the reinforcing band, and disposed concentric with the same the upper surface of the body portion between the reinforcing band and the annulus being smooth and unobstructed.

2. A device of the class described including a substantially circular body portion formed of a plurality of parallel strips and provided with a marginal reinforcing band disposed flush with the upper and lower surfaces of the body portion and forming a housing for the ends of the strips, there being an opening formed in the center of the body portion and having its Walls inclined towards the lower surface thereof, a strip of flexible material secured to the lower surface of said body portion and having its inner edge proj ected within the opening and its outer edge extended beyond the reinforcing band to produce a yieldable circumferential flange, a closure pivotally mounted on the upper surface of the body portion and having its walls inclined to conform to the inclination of the walls of the opening and adapted to normally close the latter, and a flat weighted annulus rigidly secured to the upper surface of said body portion between the opening and reinforcing band and disposed con'cen-- 

